Experimental Station

61st Street Farmers Market

Chicago

since 2008

Farmers markets tend to offer high-quality vegetables at prohibitively high costs, but the 61st Street Market in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood, started by Connie Spreen and Dan Peterman of Experimental Station, has pioneered a radical alternative. Each week over the summer, more than 20 local farmers and vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables, meats, poultry, eggs, cheeses, baked goods and specialty items accept food stamps (LINK/SNAP) and match purchases up to $25 per day through a Double Value Coupon Program. To support a broader culture of nutrition and healthy food, food-focused public educational programs, often conducted by vendors, have been in place since the market’s inception. The result is a sales growth of 1,000% from 2008 to 2010; the market is now championed as a model for farmers markets across the state of Illinois.

Community, Economy, Information, Pleasure

$100,000 annually

N/A

3 staff + 15 volunteers

Problem - access to affordable, fresh, and healthy food

Solution - rebuilding food culture through market and education

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Governors Island 2016

JUNE + JULY, 2016

Hisense UEFA EURO 2016 Official Viewing Zone on Governors Island is in conjunction with Spontaneous Interventions' summer residency on Governors Island. To see photos of the event, please visit WorldCupPartyNYC on Facebook